Sunday, November 9, 2008

Obama Katz pix

Matt Stuart sent me a link to the Flickr page of David Katz who was with the Obama campaign on election night. I find these photos interesting because they're not really edited down. They're just a raw stream of what he saw that night. Also, they show a less glamorous view of the campaign than is often presented in the press. I can't really imagine what it might be like to win a presidential election, and for me that sense of mystery is the emotion these photos evoke. What would it be like for an average person put in that spot? Of course Obama is not an average person, but in these photographs he at least seems like a real one.

I like this photo because it refers to Callie Shell's picture which I posted a few weeks ago. The conversion of shoes from worn to good shape mirrors Obama's shift from candidate to president-elect. Michelle's expression is hard to read. It may just be the look of someone sick of being in the spotlight.

This seems like a very honest moment. Michelle's mom seems to be putting a hand out as if to ask, "Holy shit, do you realize what you've done?" and Obama has this look like, "Believe me, I know."

A classic kid expression. Yeah, my dad just become the most powerful man on the planet but that won't help me find a Parcheesi partner.

Great shot. A very candid expression stands out against the completely dark foreground, with what looks like the red white and blue towers of Disneyland in the distance.

This is almost a crappy canned political shot. They've all got their campaign smiles. The thing that saves it is Biden's mom, who looks like she's just won the lottery. The contrast between her expression and the other three makes for a compelling photo, a reminder that even the most choreographed scenarios cannot completely eclipse reality.

This photo seems to show Obama with his guard down. Happy, relaxed, hugging a friend out of pure joy. I don't think the campaign allowed him many of these moments, and I can imagine this is a cathartic reaction.